Convergence of AppleTV and iPhone with OS 3.0?

The rumors swirling around iPhone now include the concept of downloading movies/video directly to the phone with the new OS (and of course the unannounced hardware).

This suggests a convergence between the function of AppleTV and the iPhone. What is interesting is that Slingbox was refused permission to stream media to iPhone via AT&T because of bandwidth use. Now Apple plans to download whole movies? That does not compute unless they are being disingenuous. (That would not be a first for Apple.)

Is it possible that they plan a system of function similar to Slingbox? If so, what piece of hardware could act as the home unit for an Apple equivalent of Slingbox? Could it perhaps be the AppleTV?

Of course this is pure speculation, but it would be a logical and "insanely great" step for Apple if they did it.

It is sad that in the furor over the new iPhone system and speculation about hardware, they seem to be treating AppleTV like an orphan.

Are there any rumors about a new upgrade for AppleTV?

Comments

I think to move the Apple TV concept forward they will have to do something like this. If the new iphone 3 hardware can play HD then all they will need is an hdmi dock with remote and have the iphone display an apple tv style interface on the TV.

I think it would really sell well, better than Apple TV, which is a bit of a leap for most people to make. People will be buying iphones and ipods so all they have to shell out for it the dock..

I love my Apple TV and rent movies all the time. Internet delivery is the future..

Replacing the apple Tv with the iphone platform will also provide a way for SDK apps to display content on TV's too (Think Hulu/bbc iplayer)

The rumors swirling around iPhone now include the concept of downloading movies/video directly to the phone with the new OS (and of course the unannounced hardware).

This suggests a convergence between the function of AppleTV and the iPhone. What is interesting is that Slingbox was refused permission to stream media to iPhone via AT&T because of bandwidth use. Now Apple plans to download whole movies? That does not compute unless they are being disingenuous. (That would not be a first for Apple.)

Doesn't it make more sense that Movie/TV downloads would be WiFi only, like the iTunes store was in iPhone 1.x software? (if video downloads even happen in 3.0)

Quote:

Originally Posted by AggieDoc

Are there any rumors about a new upgrade for AppleTV?

I'm hoping we hear something on this one soon. (probably won't until Sept-Oct, after the back-to-school stuff, in time for holidays)

I think to move the Apple TV concept forward they will have to do something like this. If the new iphone 3 hardware can play HD then all they will need is an hdmi dock with remote and have the iphone display an apple tv style interface on the TV.

I think it would really sell well, better than Apple TV, which is a bit of a leap for most people to make. People will be buying iphones and ipods so all they have to shell out for it the dock..

I would not want to dock my iPhone near my TV. I use the iphone while watching TV to browse and read emails, and i also use it as a remote for the Appletv from my dinner table and during parties. And you can already stream HD via component cables from the iPod classic. So this is already a reality (albiet without streaming).

Like you say, streaming and online delivery is the future, so Its amazing to me that Apple doesnt put more effort into making the AppleTV better and more functional. Even after 3 years, its nothing more than a bulky ipod that streams iTunes content. No Hulu, no Safari, no easy way to use plug-ins. As an MLB fan, I would love to be able to watch MLB TV with my AppleTV (like you can do with any home theater pc). Not that I would expect Apple to give me a product that is open source and allows me to cater it to my needs...

Apple might as well go ahead and trash the AppleTV. They can figure out a way to have the airport express stream both audio and video, slap an HDMI output on it, and allow us to control it with an ipod touch or iphone. Done and done.